Brandon Jackson goes to Browns

Green Bay Packers veteran third-down running back and unrestricted free agent, Brandon Jackson, has signed a two-year contract worth $4.5 million with the Cleveland Browns according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Given the return of Ryan Grant, the emergence last season of James Starks, and the drafting of Hawaii running back Alex Green, it was almost a given that Jackson might look for a deal elsewhere. He always wanted to be an every-down back, and had been given the opportunity to be just that in Green Bay on occasion, but was best suited to protecting Aaron Rodgers in third down pass blocking situations and to being a relief valve in the passing game.

With the drafting of a few receivers and tight ends who could fill Jackson's shoes as an H-back in specific situations, Jackson's role in the offense might very well have been diminished. The Packers obviously were thinking much the same thing.

Thank you, Mr. Jackson for your good and valuable service to the Green Bay Packers. Good luck in Cleveland.

Spitz heading to Jacksonville
There is further late breaking news this evening that C Jason Spitz has signed a multi-year deal with the Jaguars. Thanks and good luck, Mr. Spitz.

More departures and signings expected...hard to keep up! But we'll do our best.

Packers draft wrap-up: Rounds 1-3

Now that the dust has settled from the 2011 NFL Draft, we can begin to get a better feel for exactly what the latest members of the Green Bay Packers' rookie class might bring to the team. That's once the lockout is lifted, of course, and things get back to normal.

It should also be mentioned at the outset, however, that we'd also normally be talking about all the undrafted free agent signings at this point. That's not a part of the picture at the moment because of the lockout. Pundits suggest that, depending upon how long the lockout lasts, these are the players that stand to lose the most. And just think of the undrafted free agents that helped the Pack win a Super Bowl last season: CB Sam Shields and LB Frank Zombo among them. There are good players out there that for whatever reasons didn't hear their names called. We also know that GM Ted Thompson and his scouts are probably the best in the business at finding these hidden gems, and that head coach Mike McCarthy and his coaching staff are probably the best in the business at "coaching them up" to be valuable contributors -- perhaps even starters -- for the Green Bay Packers.

But, let's talk about what we do know about the 10 young men chosen to see what they can bring to make the already great Packers even greater. We'll start in this post with the Packers' selections through the first three rounds and then follow up later with the rest of the picks.

Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State: Much this year like Bryan Bulaga was last year. Drafted to back up and learn behind LT Chad Clifton and be the heir apparent. Due to injuries last season, Bulaga filled in on occasion at left tackle but wound up solidifying the right side after veteran RT Mark Tauscher went down for the season. The good news is Sherrod doesn't have to start right away. But he will compete, and you can be sure that offensive line coach James Campen will have Sherrod ready to go if need be. Whether he or Bulaga ultimately fill the left or right tackle slot is a decision that will come down the road.

Randall Cobb, WR/Returner, Kentucky: As Thompson said in his comments about Cobb following his selection, Cobb basically was Kentucky's offense. In addition to being an excellent receiver, Cobb also spent time at Kentucky at quarterback, running back ala wildcat, returner and even as the holder for field goals. Think McCarthy and crew won't find a way to have this guy make plays? One area where he could make an immediate impact is on punt and kick returns where, as every fan knows, the Pack hasn't exactly been great since what seems like forever. As a receiver, word is that Cobb is perhaps better suited to the slot than as a wideout. This gives him the opportunity to learn behind one of the best at that position, Donald Driver. But we also know that McCarthy likes to have his receivers be able to play at any of the positions. You can be sure new receivers coach, Edgar Bennett, will maximize Cobb's potential. The selection of Cobb also gives the Packers a bit of flexibility and depth should WR James Jones depart in free agency, as some speculate.

Alexander Green, RB, Hawaii: This seemed to be a bit of a surprise pick. Not because we didn't expect Thompson to select a running back, but because this player's name didn't seem to be on anyone's pre-draft radar this high...except for Thompson's, of course. Given the uncertainty of Ryan Grant's return to form, and the half-season and playoff wonder that was James Starks, the Pack's running back situation is a bit uncertain. Brandon Jackson is expected to leave in free agency, which opens up a slot for a third-down back such a Green. He gained over 9 yards per carry in Hawaii's spread offense. He had about 1,500 all-purpose yards last season and 19 touchdowns. Green is 6'0" and 225 lbs. He's got a chance to make a real impact if he can pick up blocking sets, which is an area at which Jackson was generally very good. Green could be yet another dynamic weapon for Aaron Rodgers in what is, as commentator Ron Jaworski called it during draft coverage, an awesome offense.

That's the first three rounds. Rounds four through seven later. Keep checking back for updates.

Packers pick up Hawaii running back Green

It's only appropriate that a running back with the last name Green goes to the Green Bay Packers: the Pack selected Hawaii RB Alex Green with the 96th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

With depth seemingly more an issue on the defensive side of the ball than offense, GM Ted Thompson once again has confused the masses by going all offense in the first three rounds of the draft. Based upon his track record, he's right on track to continuing to improve the team in the best ways possible.

Let's review briefly. In the first round, Thompson picked up OT Derek Sherrod. With their only pick of the second round, the Packers chose WR Randall Cobb, who may also be the answer at punt and/or kick returner. And at the end of round three, Thompson got a running back, Alex Green from Hawaii. It was speculated that Thompson would make these position selections somewhere in the draft. With the exception of Sherrod in the first round, taking a receiver and running back with these selections may be a bit of a surprise. At least to the uninitiated. Which we all are compared to Thompson, let's be honest.

Thompson's draft board is set up to take the best player available. Obviously, at each of those picks Thompson took exactly that as he and his personnel and scouting team evaluated it.

With Sherrod, the Packers may have the successor to Chad Clifton when that day comes. With Cobb, the Pack adds to an already deep receiving corps and may provide insurance in case James Jones departs in free agency if and when that is in effect in some form for the upcoming season; they also have a returner. Finally, with Green, the Packers add a runner with size, balance and good hands to their backfield. He's not an every down runner, but in the Packers' scheme that's not necessary anyway. He will be a third-down type back who undoubtedly will challenge veteran Brandon Jackson for a roster spot.

It's the end of day two of the draft. If you are a Packers fan -- and I know you are! -- you have to be pleased with the new additions to the Super Bowl Champion team.

More tomorrow as the draft continues.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers players news and notes

As the Green Bay Packers sit at 7-4, with all four losses by 3 points, and looking up at Da Bearz atop the NFC North (as disgusting a thought as there can possibly be!), roster moves continue. It has been the theme of this season for the Packers.

What's the difference between Da Bearz and the Packers? Yes, I know, we can go a lot of ways with that answer, all of them rip-roaringly funny. But for our purposes today, the correct answer is: health.

The Packers yesterday added LB Brandon Chillar (shoulder) and TE/LB Spencer Havner (hamstring) to the injured reserve list, bringing the team's league-leading total to 13. The Packers' IR list is a squad in its own right. And if you look at the names on that list, it's a pretty good squad at that. Just imagine what the Pack could have done this season if even half of that list was actually on the field. Wow. Still, it's a testament to the personnel moves of GM Ted Thompson that the Packers have been able to field players who haven't led to a complete collapse. And credit the coaching staff with coaching those players, some street and undrafted free agents, in such a way that they are ready to play at a high level. Truly remarkable given the circumstances.

Today, the Pack promoted LB Robert Francois and CB Josh Gordy from the practice squad to take the roster spots of Chillar and Havner. This is Francois' second time this season on the active roster, while it is Gordy's first call-up. Their spots on the practice squad were taken by new signees WR Terrance Smith and LB/DE Curtis Young.

Tramon Williams gets a payday
News broke Tuesday that the Packers and CB Tramon Williams had signed a four-year contract extension that will keep Williams in Green Bay through 2014. Williams is one of those great success stories in the NFL. An undrafted player out of Louisiana Tech who was cut by Houston in 2006, Williams was signed to the Packers' practice squad. The rest, as they say, is history. Williams worked hard, apprenticed behind Al Harris, and earned his payoff by performing at a Pro Bowl level ever since replacing Harris last year as the starting cornerback opposite Charles Woodson. He has been very good.

But now that he's gotten his big payday -- reportedly worth more than $33 million over the life of the extension -- Williams will be expected to continue performing at a high level. And there are no signs that he won't. He is a well-liked and well-respected member not only of the Packers but the broader Green Bay community. And he also is a player who even his agent says wants to stay in Green Bay. Williams is a player and person it is easy to root for. Congratulations, Mr. Williams. Well done. Keep up the great work.

If you want to read more about Williams' new contract, you can do so here.

Starks to see action...maybe
According to head coach Mike McCarthy's comments earlier this week, the woeful status of the Packers' rushing attack (I know, that seems to be a real oxymoron at the moment) is apparently making him think seriously about giving rookie RB James Starks some action this weekend. No one knows quite what to expect as Starks hasn't played any football since 2008; he missed his entire senior season at Buffalo with injury. Running backs coach Edgar Bennett -- a darn good running back in his own day -- says he likes what he sees in the youngster in practice. But what happens when he takes his first game hit in a couple years? And his first NFL hit besides? No clue. But given that QB Aaron Rodgers was the leading rusher for the Packers in the game against the Falcons this last weekend, clearly a change is in order.

That change, however, honestly needs to start with McCarthy actually committing to the run -- something his history indicates isn't overly likely -- and the offensive line opening some holes for whomever is carrying the ball. But the inability of Brandon Jackson to consistently perform and the total disappearance over the last two games of John Kuhn (although it's not clear why he hasn't factored into McCarthy's schemes recently), mean it's time to shake things up. Let's see what Starks can do. Maybe the Packers catch lightening in a bottle. That would be a surprise, granted. And the way this season has gone, it's probably more likely Starks also will wind up getting hurt and going on IR.

But let's be optimistic. At least until we see what we've got.

Packers must beat Cowboys tonight

Granted, nothing surprising in that headline. But given that both Da Bearz and the ViQueens pulled wins out of you-know-where earlier today, the Green Bay Packers must do what they are favored to do: beat the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field.

This would give the Pack a three-game winning streak going into the bye week, and set them up to play what will no doubt be a battered 'Queens team at the Humpty Dump the week after; the 'Queens play Da Bearz in Chicago next weekend...which begs the question: can both teams lose? Yes, wishful thinking, I know. (Sigh)

But back to tonight's game. The point spread favoring the Pack over the past few days has gone from 8-1/2 points to 7. Tells you that those who wager see a Dallas team that could, perhaps, maybe, reverse their downward spiral. Certainly they have the talent to do so. We just need to hope they don't pick tonight to get off the turnover-penalty bandwagon they've been riding all the way to their 1-6 season record...or as owner Jerry Jones prematurely stated after last week's loss, a 1-7 record.

It will be an intriguing game to watch, as this will be a game of match ups. We can continue to look to Packers' defensive coordinator Dom Capers to weave his magic with players and schemes. That will be needed to keep Dallas' three-headed running attack in check and force Jon Kitna to carry the day. Conversely, Packers' head coach Mike McCarthy needs to start walking his own talk about committing more to the run on offense. RB Brandon Jackson has shown flashes. But it seems just when he gets rolling, McCarthy's play-calling turns into an ongoing series of shotgun formations with no running backs to be seen anywhere. Gotta keep the 'boys honest tonight, coach. Please. It might just be the thing to provide enough of a rhythm for the offense, the kind that seems to have been missing for a large part of the season.

So, without further ado...let the game begin!

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers beat Favre and Vikings...finally!

As the football world knows today, the Green Bay Packers -- depleted by injuries coming into the game and wounded even more throughout it -- prevailed last evening over their border rival Minnesota Vikings, 28-24.

This was a much-needed win, a character win, as they say. What else can you call a game where you overcome two turnovers by your own QB in or near the red zone by getting three interceptions of your own and holding the opponent scoreless in the final 15 minutes of play? Where you have only one of your starting defensive lineman still playing at the end of the game? Where backups on offense and defense -- in some cases, players way down on the depth charts -- had to perform at a level and on a national stage they never had before?

Yes, character. That's what this game was about. Granted, it was also about getting a win against a divisional opponent that the Pack will be battling for the NFC North title (yes, we are writing off Da Bearz and Lions as contenders...I mean, c'mon...). But a game like this can go a long way to bringing a team together perhaps in a way which nothing else can. Injuries have made the journey to the playoffs and Super Bowl not what anyone expected prior to the start of the season. The games to date have not been pretty. And a couple were giftwrapped for the opponent. Last evening had it's ugly moments as well. How many times, for example, were Aaron Rodgers and his receivers running apparently different plays? Looked occasionally as if Rodgers was using the Jay Cutler Pocket Guide to Being a Mediocre Quarterback. But he threw for nearly 300 yards. And many of his passes that were on target were, dare I say, Favre-esque in their zippiness (is that a word?). In his post-game comments, Rodgers admitted the game meant not only a lot to the team but to him personally. I bet. Exorcising the ghost of quarterbacks past is no small thing. Especially in Green Bay.

Rodgers and company did enough on offense, despite missing opportunities to score which has been an unsettling and ongoing trend to date. Head coach Mike McCarthy mixed up his play calling enough to keep the ViQueens defense from blitzing on every play. The running backs made just enough contributions. Veteran TE Donald Lee came up large on two screen passes. And WR James Jones was the receiver du jour, also making big plays. Huge kudos to LT Chad Clifton who made 'Queens DE Jared Allen a non-factor. Yes, Allen got that one interception handed to him...almost literally; but that was on Rodgers, not Clifton. Rookie RT Bryan Bulaga, filling in admirably for the still injured Mark Tauscher, also held up his end of the line. All together, the Packers offensive line held up well, and that was a big difference over last season's two meetings with the funky purple folks. The only disappointment, as Rodgers himself noted, was that Donald Driver was unable to get a catch, snapping his 133 consecutive game streak. Hampered as he was with a quad injury, it was to Driver's credit that he was even on the field. Warrior. That's Donald Driver. And that was this entire Packers team last evening.

Ol' #4 for the 'Queens was also looking very old limping out of Lambeau. He got knocked around quite a bit last night, something that didn't happen at all in the meetings of last year. Sure, there was only one sack recorded (by Jarius Wynn, who just recently rejoined the team). But C. J. Wilson got a great lick on Favre, and Clay Matthews was breathing down his neck most of the night. All that pressure led, not surprisingly, to Favre mistakes. Interceptions by A. J. Hawk, Desmond Bishop (returned for a TD!) and an acrobatic Nick Collins (who promised his young son he'd get a pick in the game) helped turn the game in favor of the Pack.

Favre was feeling and looking every bit the grandfather he is as he left to a mix of applause and boos (bad show on that note, by the way, fans). Favre said in his post-game comments that he was "devastated" by the loss. With all the off-the-field mess going on around him, this was -- to quote Packers' radio voice, Wayne Larrivee -- no doubt a "dagger" that he was looking to avoid.

Think about it. Favre's last time on the field as a Packer was a loss. And now, in all likelihood, his last time on this hallowed field as a player is also a loss. Ouch. Hopefully, when all the dust settles and time soothes the wounds on both sides of things, Brett will be welcomed back to Lambeau Field with cheers, the same kind he brought to life for so many years wearing the Green 'n' Gold. It will happen again someday. But on this night, before the third-largest crowd to ever see a game at this historic venue called Lambeau Field, the cheers rightly went to the home team for an outstanding and gutsy win.

Now, the Packers have a day off and then begin to get ready for their next opponent: the Jets. On the road. The Jets are, at this stage of the season, arguably one of the better teams in the league. The Packers are still beat up. Going on the road and winning after this emotional victory will be a challenge. But we can at least now be confident that this team knows how to face such challenges and come out on top.

Let's just enjoy this victory a while longer. We'll get back to worrying about the Jets later this week.

Say it with me: It's great to be a Packer fan!

By the way, if you want to read a great article on last night's game, check out this one from Gregg Rosenthal at ProFootballTalk.com. But whatever you do, be sure to read the comments which follow. Priceless.

Packers vs. Vikings: Sunday eve Favremageddon

Installment #3 of the duel between the Green Bay Packers and the Ol' #4-led Minnesota ViQueens kicks off at 7:20 p.m. tonight at Lambeau Field. The Packers are favored by 3 points -- the home field advantage. Temps will be in the mid-50s, great for late October. Showers are expected to taper off. If rain persists, it may turn the event into a running game...which would favor the 'Queens and RB Adrian Peterson. Especially since the Packers' running game has basically been put on the back burner of head coach Mike McCarthy's play calling, despite his protestations to the contrary. One of the keys to this game, though, is really about keeping Peterson contained more so than getting the moribund (look it up!) running game of the Packers going. Keep Peterson in check, as the Pack did in their two games last season, make Ol' #4 have to throw the ball, get pressure on him -- as the Pack did not in their two games last season -- and that will go a long way to determining the outcome of this game.

On the flip side, Packers' QB Aaron Rodgers has to play better than he did against his counterpart in the two meetings of last season. It would help, of course, if his offensive line also protected him better than it did then. 'Queens DE Jared Allen isn't the sack machine he was a year ago and tonight is no time for him to begin reprising that role. Chad Clifton and Bryan Bulaga -- likely getting the start at tackle again for Mark Tauscher -- will have to be on their game. Rodgers, for his part, needs to get rid of the ball more quickly than when these teams last met. Of late, he seems to have reverted a bit to this old habit which could come back to haunt him and the Pack. Let's hope not. RB Brandon Jackson and whomever else coach McCarthy tosses in to run a few times need to do enough to keep the Minnesota defense honest and out of a constant blitz barrage. Rodgers and his receivers also need to do a much better job of converting third downs. To date, that has been a situation which has contributed directly to the Pack's three losses. If it's the same old tune tonight...well, that wouldn't be good.

The Packers' defense should get a boost from having linebackers Brandon Chillar and Clay Matthews back in the lineup, along with DE Ryan Pickett. All three are still listed as questionable on the Packers' injury report, but expectations are that they will see action. Matthews is obviously critical to getting pressure on Favre. And Chillar's ability to cover over the middle will also play a role in the defense's success tonight. Pickett's ability to anchor the end of the line will also be key to helping contain Peterson. The news on the return to practice of CB Al Harris and S Atari Bigby this week was a plus, but no moves were made to make them active as of yet. Newly-acquired S Anthony Smith should see some action today backing up Charlie Peprah.

Special teams? Well...containing Minnesota returner Percy Harvin will be a challenge. And if they don't that could be the difference between winning and losing this game. Add in the need by punter Tim Masthay to do a much better job than he has done recently in helping the Packers manage the opponents' starting field position and this is still a major area of concern.

What's the bottom line? For a lot of reasons, the Packers need to win this game. The season is not done, however, if they don't. But getting the 'Queens at Lambeau, with a distracted (we hope) Brett Favre, and with a healthier (relatively speaking) defense, is a plus. If the Packers offense can just put 4 quarters of consistent effort across, the Pack should take this game. But it will be close. Very close, as most of the games between these two teams are.

I'm calling it 24-23 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

SNL parodies Favre
If you happened to catch Saturday Night Live last night, you saw them lampoon Ol' #4's recent alleged "incident," so to speak. They created a parody of Favre's Wrangler Jeans ads (which, by the way, Wrangler has pulled from airing recently) which is spot-on. If you didn't catch it, you can see it here. Very funny. But also very sad for the QB who once was known for something other than this.

Packers vs. Bills day after look-see

Getting this post-post-game review up a bit late today. And still don't have enough time to do it justice. So hope you bear with me. This will just be a bit of random access memory going on here. You know, stuff in no particular order of importance. Just looking at the Green Bay Packers following game #2.

The venerable veteran LT Chad Clifton may be on the outside looking in, at least until his ailing knee allows him to perform at a better level than he did yesterday. Or until rookie Bryan Bulaga falls on his face replacing him. Given that Bulaga held up well yesterday, I would speculate that Bulaga will get the starting nod against Da Bearz on Monday night. Yes, it will be an entirely different level than versus the Bills. But given the problems Cliffie was having against the same defense, Bulaga's time might have already come. The Packers still need Clifton. But an ailing knee might just be Bulaga's opening, with Clifton then serving in the backup role. Clifton's got a lot of pride, so whether that's a role he would willingly take or not, remains to be seen. There are a couple interesting articles about Clifton's status on the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's online site. Check them out here and here.

For as much as some folks want to package and trade LB A.J. Hawk for a running back (and, yes, it has even been mentioned within the confines of this very blog), Hawk performed very well in yesterday's game. He seemed to always be around the ball one way or another. According to final stats, Hawk tied LB Nick Barnett with a game-high nine tackles. Hawk also had two quarterback hits and was very close to a sack or two, as well. Hawk was very solid in this scheme, a scheme other than which was played in Philadelphia a week earlier in which he saw no snaps at all. For those fans who think the Pack would part with Hawk for a running back, especially after yesterday, don't hold your breath.

Speaking of running backs, the total yardage gained by Packers running backs yesterday was thoroughly underwhelming. When John Kuhn get more yards than the back who supposedly is now the featured back following Ryan Grant's season-ending injury...and with all due respect to Kuhn...that's not good. Yes, the Packers are and will be a primarily pass-oriented team. But even with that same mentality the last few years, Grant was still able to chalk up two 1,200+ yard seasons back to back. Brandon Jackson is going to have to kick it up a notch to help keep defenses honest and to keep them from all-out blitzes on Aaron Rodgers every single play. With another week under his belt, newcomer Dimitri Nance might get more playing time. He was in for a couple plays yesterday. No mistakes, that was about the best that could be said. Head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters after the game that running back by committee is not ideal. But at the same time, he very much sounded as if that would be the way it goes at least for a while. Check out this article for more.

Oh, and isn't it interesting that things are so quiet in terms of chatter about the Packers' special teams? Guess that means folks are generally happy with what they see. Certainly Jordy Nelson is doing a very good job so far of setting the Pack up in good field position following a kick off.

And last but not least...Clay Matthews. The guy is a beast. Three more sacks yesterday to go to six on the season. In 15 regular season games, Matthews has 15 sacks. At this pace...wow.

This is about all we time for at the moment, folks. But keep checking back for more. In the meantime, why not cast your vote in the poll in the righthand column about the best nickname being floated for LB Clay Matthews? Yes, these are seemingly the two most popular names being tossed about: "Manimal" and "Claymaker". Let us know what you think.

Packers - Bills preview

With just a couple hours left to kickoff, I'm finally getting around to writing this preview of the Green Bay Packers vs. Buffalo Bills. But as regular readers of PackerFansUnited.com know, I typically wait until the day and morning of the game to lay out my thoughts on what we might expect. So that's my excuse, er, story, and I'm stickin' to it.

But let's start with the facts: the Pack is favored by 13 points despite the Bills leading the series 7-3 (how the heck did that happen, by the way?); the weather is supposed to be great Fall football weather, about 63 degrees and mostly cloudy with little or no wind issues anticipated. And, of course, it is the regular season home opener for the Packers. That should get the Packers' players a bit more jacked up for the game.

Not that they should need it. The Bills are not, at this point, a very good team. On the other hand, as both players and fans learned again last year, even bad teams can take advantage of a flat team on any given day (recall the debacle against the Buccaneers?). But that won't be the case today. Back to the Bills...receiver (and former University of Wisconsin Badger ... go Badgers!) Lee Evans called out QB Trent Edwards this last week for not going downfield more. Now, whether that would be on Edwards or the offensive coordinator, who knows. But don't be surprised if Buffalo does try to stretch the field at the outset to test our young (in spots) secondary, particularly if the pass rush is lacking. But, I don't expect that to happen. I think defensive coordinator Dom Capers can certainly set the players and schemes in motion today to put a lot of pressure on Edwards.

As to the Bills' running game, rookie C.J. Spiller will test the Packers' defense. He will also test the Packers' special teams on kick returns. The running game and the special teams are arguably the two best aspects of the Bills. The secondary isn't bad either, but can they really match up with all the Packers' weapons? Not for the entire day they can't.

So, what about the Pack? Well, we already know that RB Ryan Grant is done for the year and Brandon Jackson is going to get his chance, once again, to be the featured back. Should we expect that the Packers will operate the running portion of their game plan differently than with Grant? Unlikely. The Pack is still a pass-first team. I'd still look for a 60-40 pass to rush ratio. If the Pack gets up big early, it's possible we may see more of Jackson as the day goes on. FB/RB John Kuhn may also get a few carries as he did last week. It's also possible we may even get glimpse or two of recently signed RB Dimitri Nance who was supposedly able to learn a package or two this week, although radio reports this morning indicate that he might not even be active today. As for the air game, look for QB Aaron Rodgers to bounce back from a very subpar performance last week in Philadelphia. He will spread the ball around. TE Jermichael Finley should have a big day. But if the Bills' defense tries to take Finley out of the offense, it's not as if Rodgers doesn't have other options. He's got options up the ying-yang, baby!

The Packers will also be able to run more of a typical defense today. After all, nothing is typical when you're trying to chase Michael Vick all over the field as the Pack had to do last weekend. But we can figure that we will see LB A.J. Hawk actually play from scrimmage today rather than just on special teams. And, given reports of his comments this past week, Hawk was not happy having to stand on the sidelines the entire game last week. Well he shouldn't have been. But while a steady competitor, Hawk has not performed up to expectations of a #5 overall draft pick. Perhaps his pride is hurt a bit. That can often be a good motivator to up one's game. Let's hope so. I like Hawk. But the Packers' linebacking corps is a good one, and some of the other players competing with Hawk for playing time are bringing more to the field right now than is Hawk. It will be interesting to see what he might do today. Keep an eye on Hawk.

The young Packers' secondary held up well last week. Rookies Morgan Burnett and Sam Shields actually performed well for their first NFL game. A few rookie mistakes showed up here and there, but nothing that wound up costing them the game.

As to player status for today's game, early reports were that RG Daryn Colledge was doubtful for today's game; he has been battling an undisclosed illness for the past few days. If Colledge is out, one would expect to see rookie Bryan Bulaga get the start; second-year player T.J. Lang might have also been expected to be in the mix but was just listed as being inactive, which may be a sign that Colledge is good to go after all. Rookie DE Mike Neal is also expected to miss today's game, as he did last week's game, with an abodiminal injury. CB Brandon Underwood is also inactive for today's game after missing last week's contest with a shoulder injury suffered in the last preseason game. FB Korey Hall is also inactive, which means Quinn Johnson will get his first start. LB Desmond Bishop is inactive. DE Cullen Jenkins also probable for today's game; look for him to play with a club on the hand in which he sustained multiple fractures in last Sunday's game.

OK, bottom line prediction: Packers 34 - Bills 13.

Go Pack Go!!!

By the way, for those interested, I will be Tweeting scintillating 140-character commentary during the game. If you are that hardcore -- and if you are reading this, we both know you are -- just click on the "Follow Me on Twitter" button near the top of the righthand column. Or, click here.

Packers' running game takes a hit

The first game of the NFL season took its toll on a number of teams. But the one we care about is the Green Bay Packers. DE Cullen Jenkins had multiple fractures in his hand and could play the entire season with a cast. Back up DE Justin Harrell tore an ACL and is done for the season after being placed on injured reserve yesterday.

Today, however, it was learned that the ankle injury to RB Ryan Grant was more serious than first thought. He sustained ligament damage and, because of the uncertainty of his return time, it was determined to also place Grant on injured reserve, effectively ending his season.

This leaves Brandon Jackson as the primary running back, with FB/RB John Kuhn as the main back up. Rather than working a trade as many thought might happen to bring in an experienced tailback, GM Ted Thompson has opted instead to sign RB Dimitri Nance, a 5-foot-10, 219-pound rookie, from Atlanta’s practice squad. Nance was undrafted out of Arizona State where he received honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors as a senior. He lead the team in rushing for two straight seasons, rushing for 795 yards and six touchdowns in his senior year. He ran the 40- yard dash in 4.63 seconds, had a 33-inch vertical jump, hit 9' 6" on the broad jump, and bench pressed 19 times at his pro day in March. Obviously, he's a developmental player at this stage and a body just in case something else happens to affect running back depth.

All during training camp head coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson were touting Jackson's progress as a running back. He certainly seemed to show a bit more of that power in relief of Grant versus the Eagles. Now he'll have to show that a lot more. Some area sports reporters have said that it seemed as if Jackson finally "got it" this year, as he seemed to be a bit more professional in the approach he took during the offseason and during camp. Maybe maturity will translate into success on the field. The coaching staff and management of the Packers seem to be counting on that. The fans have to, as well.

One of the other personnel moves that happened as result of the injuries Sunday was that the Pack re-signed DE Jarius Wynn to fill Harrell's spot. Wynn was a casualty of the last roster cuts. He was with the team last year and, in comments aired by defensive coordinator Dom Capers, that seemed to be one of the primary factors in re-signing Wynn: he was familiar with the system and could be plugged right in to the scheme without any learning curve. Makes sense.

But back to Grant...he posted the following on his Twitter page: "Guess everyone has heard the news..frustrating, disappointing, all the normal emotions..there was a chance with surgery that I come back... This season but I would miss too many weeks and put the team in a bind roster wise.. It was more severe than initially thought during game.. but I just have to move forward and get it right. Anyone who knows me, understands that my spirits WILL stay high..and I will return even better, stronger.. That's how I operate.. " (Oh, by the way, you can follow this blog on Twitter, as well, by clicking on the link in the upper righthand column or by just going here.)

Come back better and stronger, Ryan. I think many fans will finally realize through your absence what you have brought to the offense over the last three years in particular: the fourth best rushing yardage in the entire NFL.

You can read a truly great concise analysis (by Green Bay Press-Gazette sports writer Mike Vandermause) of the situation with Grant and Jackson, and the Packers' probable decision process, here.

The Packers' win from the day after

In the light of day, the day after the Green Bay Packers victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, a few observations. Nothing original. Just one person's take on what went down in Philly.

• Special teams played far better than anyone expected. Jordy Nelson had some great returns and the coverage units kept Eagles returner DeSean Jackson in check for the most part. Punter Tim Masthay performed well in his debut. And K Mason Crosby set a team-record with a 56-yard field goal. He was long and accurate. Good to see. May all continue to perform at this level throughout the season.
• Aaron Rodgers had a not-so-great game. He was 19-31 for 188 yards. Yes, he threw a couple TD passes and when he was on he was on. But he started poorly and had two picks, one on a deflection and another on a ball that appeared to sail on him and missed his receiver badly. Chalk it up to an abberation.
• The offensive line...well, Rodgers was under pressure especially early in the game. For a while, the O-line was looking like what we saw early last season. There were instances where our two old tackles indeed looked old. I recall one instance where both Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher got beat on the same play. It seemed as if they picked up their protection in the second half. We can only hope they play at that level the rest of the season.
• The defensive line...coach Mike McCarthy had decided to have only four down lineman active for the game because of the scheme they thought they'd be running against Eagles QB Kevin Kolb; rookies Mike Neal and C.J. Wilson were not available. And that made things especially challenging when a couple things happened: Kolb left the game with a concussion sustained on a tackle by LB Clay Matthews (more on Mr. Matthews in a bit) and Michael Vick and his legs entered the game; and Cullen Jenkins sustained a broken hand on the first defensive series and had to play the balance of the game one-handed after being fitted with a club, and the oft-injured back up DE Justin Harrell sustained a left knee injury blocking on Crosby's first field goal of 49 yards. So, for a while that meant the entire defensive line consisted of B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett. The two heavyweights, to their credit, did a fantastic job all things considered. Harrell, by the way, has been placed on the injured reserve list (yes, again) and is done for the year (yes, again). As the TV crew noted during the game, Harrell had only played in 14 games during his prior three years with the team. At what point, a reasonable fan must ask -- and has asked before -- do you just reach an injury settlement with the young man and move on? Clearly, he's going to have to be replaced by either a practice squad player, a free agent or trade. (We will leave aside the running discussion as to whether Harrell should have been a #16 draft pick to begin with...and, by the way, the answer is "No!")
• Linebackers and secondary...Could Clay Matthews possibly do any more than he did yesterday? Man! He appeared to be operating at an entirely different level of speed and power. Fantastic. On the flip side, because of the scheme the Packers planned on running and then had to run with Vick in the game, it turns out that LB A.J. Hawk never played a down from scrimmage. They typically always remove him on passing downs and because the Pack played a nickel/dime defense most of the day, Brandon Chillar, Brad Jones and even undrafted rookie LB Frank Zombo (who had a sack, by the way!) got the reps. Hawk has seemingly disappeared from the defense. Perhaps he could be packaged and traded for either a defensive lineman or a running back (where depth was a concern going into the season and is even more so now...more on that in a minute). The secondary generally held up well. Charles Woodson was, as usual, constantly around the ball. Tramon Williams held up well as did, for the most part, rookies Morgan Burnett and Sam Shields. Shields got turned around and burned on one TD pass and looked very much like a rookie on that play. But all in all, seemed to hold his own for the most part.
• The running game...just when it looked as if that might come around, Ryan Grant left the game with an ankle sprain. Brandon Jackson had some nice runs taking the bulk of the carries after Grant's departure. And FB/RB John Kuhn had a couple powerful runs, including a TD. Coach McCarthy said in his press conference today that Grant will not play in the upcoming game against the Bills. Jackson will be the featured back with Kuhn as the back up. But for all those fans who wanted the Packers to have more depth at running back, yep, we were right. That doesn't get us anywhere, but we were right. Will Ted Thompson do anything to address the situation? It would be a surprise if he did. But that's what makes surprises surprises, right? Let us pray...

Bottom line is that this was a statement game, if there can be such a thing in only the first game of the season. We knew the offense would put up points; not really an area of concern. Yet, this was a game where the offense, particularly Aaron Rodgers, wasn't especially sharp. They still put up 27 points. The areas that were of concern had to do with the defense and special teams, both of which really helped carry the day yesterday. It's a good sign.

For now, let's hope that the injuries to Grant and Jenkins don't present problems throughout the season. Let's wish Justin Harrell well, as it's obvious the young man worked hard to get back on the field despite his injury history. But let's also hope Ted Thompson makes a few moves to add to the D-line and running back depth before they truly become positions of desperation.

Oh...did I mention that I predicted the actual final score of 27-20? (Yeah, I know...enough already!)

Packers - Seahawks preseason post-game review

The quick take: Packers 27, Seahawks 24. The Packers pulled out the win in the 4th quarter. Junk time, really.

The good
Let's start with the offense. The first unit has had four possessions in the two preseason games and have scored four touchdowns. Both of the first unit's touchdown drives last evening were for more than 70 yards. QB Aaron Rodgers has been outstanding, being decisive and on target with his throws, including the bombs. TE Jermichael Finley is clearly going to be one of the main weapons on offense this season. The Packers lined him up in several spots last night. The receiving corps will give defenses nightmares. The running game was adequate. Ryan Grant seemed to recover nicely from the concussion he sustained early in last weekend's game and had a few nice runs. Brandon Jackson also ran with authority and scored the game-winning TD late in the game. The offensive line, at least the first unit, never let anyone get near Rodgers. Backup QB Matt Flynn also acquitted himself nicely with the second unit, looking very sharp on his throws. When third and fourth stringers came in in the second half, well, any quarterback would have had problems. The starting defense, despite being short seven starters from last season, also held up...sort of. They did give up two scores to Seattle's starters (who also played much longer than did the Packers' number ones). But some of that can be attributed to shorter playing fields resulting from poor kick coverage.

Which brings us to...

The bad
It is clear that if the Packers have to rely upon some of their backup defensive backs much this season the offense will need to score a bunch each time out. Brandon Underwood, in particular, looked overmatched at every turn. There is also still not much of a pass rush, but remember that there has also been a decidedly vanilla approach to the defense so far.

Other bad news continues to be on the special teams. Punt and kick coverage was generally miserable. And finding reliable returners still seems to be a work in progress. It is clear that undrafted rookie Sam Shields is not ready for prime time. He may be the fastest man on the roster. And he may have picked off a pass while on defense. But his attempt at handling a kickoff was horrendous; he allowed the kick to bounce, didn't get on it fast enough, and the result was a kick recovery by Seattle. Terrible. He looks scared and confused for two weeks in a row.

One of the other bad aspects of the game last evening was the ongoing reminder what a bonehead move it was to cut punter Jon Ryan just prior to the start of the 2008 season. He was booming punts and stopping the ball inside the 5-yard line with almost pitching wedge-style spin. The best that can be said is that at least this year's punter -- whoever it may wind up being -- will not be as bad as last year's. But he also won't be as good as Jon Ryan.

Final Thoughts
The Packers at least were able to chalk up a win, even though it doesn't mean much. The parts of the team we thought would be working well are, so far, and the parts we felt might be problematic are, as well.

Thursday the Colts come to Lambeau for the unofficial warm up to the regular season for most of the starters. Will be curious to see what happens and what adjustments the coaching staff puts in place, particularly for the linebackers and defensive backs if injuries continue to play a part as they have so far in camp. It will also be especially interesting to see how the special teams get their acts together before things count. A lot of work needed there.

Packers interested in Westbrook?

There was a time early in his career when, I suspect, many a Packers fan wished that Eagles running back Brian Westbrook would not be so good...especially, it seemed, in every game against the Packers.

The Eagles released Westbrook, now 30 years of age, in February. To date, no team has picked him up. There was some immediate speculation that the ViQueens might add him to their roster with Chester Taylor having signed with Da Bearz. But, not yet.

Now there is word the Pack might be considering Westbrook. He was always a solid back, equally good at receiving as rushing, which might make him an intriguing possibility for the Packers as a reliable third-down back. The catch is that he missed half of last season with two concussions. He's also absorbed a lot of hits over the years, in addition to the concussions. But if he passes a physical, perhaps playing in a limited role might be good for him and a plus for the Packers. The Packers have never been able to find a solid third-down answer under head coach Mike McCarthy's tenure. Westbrook might be a viable option, especially on a one-year contract.

You can read more about the Westbrook scenario here. And if you look at the results of the online poll as to whether the Packers should sign Westbrook or not...well, a lot of people think so.

Draft possibilities at running back
Of course, with the draft a little more than a week away, the Packers are no doubt considering their options at running back there, as well. Several mock drafts have the Pack picking up a running back in the mid to late rounds. Names mentioned include: LeGarrette Blount, Oregon (he of sucker-punch fame, whose early round draft position likely has dropped because of character issues); Joe McKnight, USC; Jahvid Best, California; Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State; Dexter McCluster, Mississippi; Charles Scott, LSU; Andre Dixon, Connecticut; Chris Brown, Oklahoma; Deji Karim, Southern Illinois; Toby Gerhart, Stanford.

We wouldn't expect GM Ted Thompson to use more than one draft pick on a running back, relying instead on his current roster (Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson, Ahman Green, DeShawn Wynn and Kregg Lumpkin), possibly the pick up of Westbrook, and post-draft street free agent signings to fill out the spring and summer camps. But the Packers could definitely use a solid second back to Grant, someone who could push him, as well as substitute for him especially on third downs. The Packers don't really have any pure speed/juke backs on board. A change of pace back for the opposing defense to have to scheme for would certainly help open up the Packers already potent offense.

Final: Packers 48 - Seahawks 10

OK, it was the Seahawks, but still...48-10! Wow.

The Packers turned in a dominating performance, doubling their 1st half score and only allowing Seattle a meaningless touchdown late in the game.

Backup RB Brandon Jackson scored two more TDs in the half to total three for the game. Backup RB Ahman Green added another rushing touchdown, his first since returning to the Packers. K Mason Crosby even added another field goal early in the 4th quarter, this one a confidence boosting kick from 52 yards away. Yeah, Mason!

The 2nd half started on a sour note for Seattle when QB Matt Hasselbeck got picked off by Jarrett Bush in their first series. It was downhill from there. Atari Bigby got his second interception of the day later in the half to give Hasselbeck 4 INTs on the day.

As for offensive statistics, QB Aaron Rodgers finished 12 of 23 for 237 yards and 1 touchdown. The game was nailed down so early that Rodgers was pulled for backup Matt Flynn before the 3rd quarter had ended. Flynn also performed well in mop up duty, going 4 for 6 for 36 yards and with no turnovers. Ryan Grant rushed for 97 yards, with 56 of those coming on his 2nd quarter TD gallop. WR Greg Jennings had a great day with 4 catches for 111 yards. TE Jermichael Finley had 3 catches for 80 yards.

Packers in the playoffs!
It was a great game, and a great way for the Packers to nail down a wildcard playoff spot. Yes, you heard that right. With the Packers' 10th win of the season and the Giants 41-9 loss to Carolina, the Packers have secured one of the two wildcard spots in the playoffs.

There are a lot of things to be determined yet as to who the Packers might play. Right now, it could be Philadelphia or more likely Arizona. But don't bank on any of that just yet.

For now, just savor this great win and a return to the playoffs.

Say it with me now: It's great to be a Packers fan!!!

End of 1st quarter: Packers 14 - Seahawks 0

The Packers took the opening kickoff and promptly went 3 and out, including giving up a sack to a team that only has about 27 on the season.

On the Seahawks first possession, they steadily moved the ball on the ground, picking up a couple first downs. But on 3rd and 1, they decided to pass. Good thing. QB Matt Hasselbeck got flushed from the pocket and threw a wounded duck right into the arms of LB A. J. Hawk, who proceeded to return it to about the Seahawks' 35-yard line. A few plays later, QB Aaron Rodgers threw a screen pass to RB Brandon Jackson who took it 13 yards for a touchdown. Packers 7 - Seahawks 0.

The Packers' next series was rather uneventful. They escaped giving up their second sack of the quarter -- which would have made it something like 3rd and 30 after a delay of game penalty earlier in the series -- when a defender was called for illegal contact downfield. Whew. Well, momentarily, whew. Because the offense did nothing afterward. In fact, on one pass play, Rodgers throwing motion actually had the ball just drop right from his hands. Luckily, he was able to pick it up and get rid of it. But it was a very out-of-sync series.

On the Packers' last series of the quarter, Rodgers connected on a 40-yard pass play to WR Greg Jennings. That put Rodgers over 4,000 yards in passing for the second straight year. Rodgers thus becomes the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 4,000 yards in each of his first two seasons as the starting quarterback. Congrats, Mr. Rodgers!

Rodgers and Jennings connected again on this series for a 24-yard pass and run down to the Seattle 3-yard line. A play later, RB Ryan Grant dove over the goal line pylon to pick up the Pack's second TD of the day. Packers 14 - Seahawks 0.

Packers - Ravens Preview

Seems like forever since we last saw our beloved Green Bay Packers take to the gridiron, doesn't it? It's a layoff the Packers have welcomed. Since dispatching the Lions on Thanksgiving, the Pack has been getting healthy for the stretch run of the season and the drive to the playoffs. Still, it hasn't exactly gone according to plan, as my post of Friday indicated.

A few injuries, namely to linebacker Jeremy Thompson and offensive tackle T. J. Lang, popped up. The injury to Thompson may or may not be season-ending. He suffered a neck sprain on Friday and was taken from the practice field by ambulance. Thompson was released from the hospital Saturday. You can read more about his status here. As for Lang, he suffered a concussion in practice and is listed as questionable on the injury report for the game tonight. As the guy who has become an effective and key backup on the offensive line in his rookie year, not having Lang to back up a possibly still gimpy Chad Clifton at left tackle means that Allen Barbre may be the primary backup at that spot if Clifton is unable to play or finish the game. C'mon, Clify!

But...to the game at hand...

The spread on the game (depending on what line you look at) is 3-1/2 points in favor of the Packers. Some prognosticators figure this to be a defensive battle, and well it might be. It will certainly be a physical game, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Packers, as we are now aware, are ranked as the number one defense in the league. But that means nothing week to week. It only matters if they are the number one defense tonight. The Packers will be at full strength on defense (understanding, of course, this means without Al Harris and Aaron Kampman). What they will have to do is pressure a somewhat shaky Ravens QB Joe Flacco who has not been throwing the ball well of late. Some say that's due to the pounding he took earlier in the season when the Ravens' offensive line was doing their imitation of the Packers' line. Flacco doesn't have many weapons to throw to. In fact, the Ravens' leading receiver is also their leading rusher, second-year running back Ray Rice. If the Packers are able to rattle Flacco, CB Charles Woodson could very well wind up with a pick or two again tonight for the Packers.

The diminutive Rice is one of the hottest players in the league right now. He gives opposing defenses fits because the Ravens are now able to use him in a number of different formations. At 5'8", he has a low center of gravity and is difficult to bring down. He packs a lot of wallop into his 205 pounds, and is deceptively fast. He will be the offensive weapon that the Packers should be keying on shutting down. They keep him in check and the Packers are on their way to a "W".

Of course, the Pack also needs to handle the Ravens defense. And that starts with veteran LB Ray Lewis. He may be getting a bit long in the tooth, but he generates the energy for the defensive unit and can still bring it. He's not as fast as he was before, so if you can get him on a running back in coverage there should be some opportunities. He also doesn't get off blocks as well as he used to. The other key defender to be aware of is safety Ed Reed; although he is listed as questionable on the injury report he is expected to play. He has 3 interceptions on the season. The rest of the defensive backfield is ripe for the picking.

But that depends upon on the weather tonight. Currently, the forecast is for temps in the 20s but no snow or other precipitation this evening. There will be a chance of snow showers during the day but supposedly nothing at game time. This is the time of year that the running game should be starting to come to the fore. But as a great article in Saturday's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel points out, head coach Mike McCarthy has actually run less in December in two out of three of his previous seasons as coach than in the months before. Go figure. As the article notes, "The only time he ran more than he passed was 2007, when the Packers were 13-3 and winners of four of six games in December and beyond." OK...any lessons there? Hmmm... Anyway, Ryan Grant seems to have always rushed better later in the season. Somebody tossed out a stat that when he runs 22(?) or more times in a game the Packers are 10-1 (quick: someone double check that!). Ahman Green will be back tonight after missing a couple games. And Brandon Jackson is once again back in form as a reliable third down back and blocker. So the Packers can make the Ravens worry about the run, and that's a big help in letting Rodgers open things up in the passing game.

I think we should expect that the Pack will try to establish the run tonight to help keep pressure off QB Aaron Rodgers. But it will primarily be to loosen up the air game to exploit the Ravens' d-backs.

The wildcard in tonight's game will be the Packers special teams play. As we know all too well, the Packers' special teams is akin to Forrest Gump's box of chocolates: you never know what you're gonna get. And that's the scary part. If special teams helps keep the Ravens in the game goofy things can happen. Add in the fact that K Mason Crosby hasn't exactly been Mr. Reliable this season and points that should go on the board don't.

So, what's the bottom line on this game? Factoring all of the above into the prognostication blender, and that both teams are still playing for wildcard spots, we are calling this game Packers 20 - Ravens 16.

Go Pack Go!!!

Final: Packers 30 - 49ers 24

The second half was not as dominating as the first for the Packers, but the final score on the board means another "W" and that's all the dominance you need at the end of the day. The 49ers made a game of it after both the Packers offense and defense seemed to become more conservative. (Am I the only fan who wonders why, when you have it dialed up and are in complete control, you then dial it down???)

In the 3rd quarter, the Niners scored their first TD of the day on a 38-yard pass play from Alex Smith to Michael Crabtree over Al Harris, to make the score 23-10. The Packers got their only TD of the 2nd half with about 11 minutes to go in the 4th quarter, after a sequence that included: a punt by the Packers downed at the 2-yard line, followed by Smith throwing out of his end zone and getting picked off at about the 20 by Nick Collins who returned it to the 11, after which Rodgers connected on a 3rd down pass with Jermichael Finley for a 1st down inside the 1 yard line...Ryan Grant picked up a rushing TD and in the process went over 100 yards rushing for the game...whew!

That made the score 30-10 Packers.

But just when you thought it was safe, the Packers not-so-special teams once again let the opponent right back in the game by giving up a roughly 76-yard kickoff return. On the first play, Al Harris went down in the end zone, away from the play after apparently planting his foot and collapsing. He was in obvious pain and was taken off the field on a cart for X-rays; Aaron Kampan had earlier been carted off the field after also sustaining a knee injury. (In his post-game meeting with the media, head coach Mike McCarthy said both looked serious but until he gets further evaluation it's not possible to say how long either player might be out.) Two plays later, Smith connected on his second TD pass of the day to make the score 30-17. The Packers found themselves unable to sustain any drive and rather quickly returned the ball to the Niners. Fighting the clock, the Niners continued to both protect Alex Smith and allow him to connect with his receivers. On a 4th-and-5 from the Packers' 10-yard line, Smith hit RB Frank Gore on a short pass which he took into the end zone to make the score 30-24 Packers with just under 6 minutes remaining in the game.

The Packers, courtesy of a couple big and crucial runs by Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson were able to keep the ball and take the clock down to the 2 minute warning. With the 49ers out of timeouts (their final one lost on an ill-advised spot challenge by coach Mike Singletary), the Packers were able to go into the victory formation and take 3 kneel-downs by Aaron Rodgers to run out the clock.

This game was a tale of two halves. Something you'd prefer not to see. But the bottom line is the "W".

Rodgers finished with a career high 32 completions out of 45 attempts for 326 yards with 2 TDs. Ryan Grant finished with 129 yards rushing on 21 carries for a 6.1 yards-per-carry average.

The Packers are 6-4 going into the Turkey Day game at Detroit. If the Packers are able to do what they should be able to do (although we said that about Tampa, too, didn't we?) they can be 7-4 coming out of that game and going into an extended rest before the Monday night game against the Ravens at Lambeau on December 7.

You just pray the injuries to Kampan and Harris aren't season-ending, as that would be a major blow to the defense. No matter, they would still likely be held out of the the game with the Lions to give them plenty of time to heal.

In the meantime, say it with me...Go Pack Go!!!

Penalties and other debris

The topic of ongoing penalties by the Packers under head coach Mike McCarthy's tenure is a topic of much discussion among Packer fans and sports pundits. Some of those thoughts were related in yesterday's post, including links to yet other articles about the topic.

Today, the online edition of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has a poll about the subject. At the time of this posting, here are the results:

Does Mike McCarthy show enough concern over the number of Packers penalties?

• Yes (8%)
• No (92%)

Total Responses: 1,788

Guess, coach, fans aren't buying the old song and dance that "we'll get it cleaned up." We've heard that for the last few years and the Packers are still among the most penalized teams in the league. And then, refs begin looking for chances to throw the flags. You think they aren't eyeballing Chad Clifton every time he goes to the line of scrimmage to see if he is actually on the line of scrimmage?

Coach McCarthy also got a bit testy during his news conference yesterday when he was pressed on the subject of penalties. It doesn't really get conveyed in the transcript, but if you listen to the audio you should be able to sense his growing unease talking about the subject. Just go here and then click on coach McCarthy's press conference from Oct. 19.

Flashback or flash forward?
Reports out of Green Bay yesterday are that the Packers had RB Ahman Green in for a tryout yesterday. Whaaaaaaa...??? Yep. Ahman Green. Great. About 10 years ago, that is. Was cut by Houston in February after two seasons of ongoing injuries. At age 32, should he even be considered as a backup? And that's what we're talking here. But isn't it a reflection on personnel and/or coaching decisions when this is where things are at in regards to that position after just five games?

Let's review, shall we?

The decision was to keep Brandon Jackson and DeShawn Wynn as the backups to Ryan Grant. Jackson is serviceable when healthy, which he hasn't been yet this season, being active for the first time against the Lions. Wynn has shown flashes on rare occasions when he's been healthy; his problem, however, is that he has never been healthy -- or willing play through minor injuries -- since he's been in the NFL.

As for the starter, Grant has been a non-factor in any form this season. He finally got off his longest run of the season -- 22 yards -- late in the game Sunday when the Lions had already been beaten. Not entirely his fault. The problems with the offensive line extend beyond giving up a league-leading sack count; there also just haven't been many holes to run through. (One wonders if even a back like Adrian Peterson could do anything given this current line. )

But back to personnel decisions. The Packers kept three fullbacks, which raised eyebrows at the time and perhaps is now coming back to haunt the team. Although this past Sunday, the team was down to only John Kuhn as both Korey Hall and rookie Quinn Johnson were out. But if the Pack had kept their leading rusher of the preseason, undrafted free agent Tyrell Sutton, the team might not now have to be looking at such alternatives as bringing in Ahman Green and Dominic Rhodes, another old-timer (age 30), as help in the running back department. Granted, Sutton might not have been the answer either. But at least he was fast and had fresh legs.

You can read more about this development here. Be sure to especially check out the reader comments afterward. Some priceless feedback.

Game Day Weather Link
In a continuing effort to provide at least some useful tools to Packer fans, I've recently added a "Packers 2009 Home & Away Weather Forecast" link in, appropriately enough, the "Links" section in the righthand column. Check it out there. Or here.

Pack vs Cards wrap up ... and more!

As has been the case all through the preseason, the Packers' first string offensive and defensive units were once again outstanding in the team's victory over the Cardinals Friday night. If you didn't see the game or hear it on the radio you've no doubt read the details by now. So no need to rehash what is now old news. The Pack kicked butt. The final score was in no way reflective of what the first stringers did. All we can hope as fans is that the team isn't peaking in preseason. And that the players that sustained injuries are ready to go for the season opener against Da Bearz.

At the top of that list, of course, is receiver Greg Jennings who was the subject of a nasty sandwich tackle. He was back in uniform, but mostly on the sidelines at Sunday's practice, according to reports. His prognosis is good, although coach McCarthy has already said Jennings will not play in Thursday night's game versus the Titans. Good decision. Will Blackmon and Brandon Jackson are also likely to sit out this upcoming game. Mike Montgomery might be able to play with his broken hand, but no decision for sure yet.

The Packers also released 3 players over the weekend, with the most notable name being punter Durant Brooks. Brooks, as you may recall, was supposed to be in a heated battle for the punting job with Jeremy Kapinos. But Brooks had essentially been out of the running with a hip injury since the second preseason game.

Backup QB Matt Flynn, who was held out of Friday's game because of his shoulder sprain, threw a little bit Sunday and hopes to be able to play Thursday.

Barring any additional injuries in the final exhibition game -- and don't expect most starters to play very long or at all -- the Packers can head into that season home opener against Da Bearz feeling very good about what they have achieved so far. The thing to remember about that, though, is that none of that counts. Game 1 versus Chicago is where the road to the playoffs begins!

An anniversary...

In the wide, wide world of sports today is a day that is distinctive for Gene Sarazen winning the 16th PGA Championship in 1933 at Blue Mound CC in Milwaukee.

Oh, today is also the anniversary of this PackerFansUnited.com blog!

Yep, this ongoing ode to all things Packers got its humble start on this date -- Aug. 13 -- in 2005.

Just thought you'd want to know. So to all you faithful readers out there, thanks for continuing to stop in. And for any new readers, welcome. To one and all, please help spread the word about this little corner of the Packers blogosphere. As the NFL preseason is about to commence, followed by the absolute best sports season of every year, we'll try to provide timely -- or at least, insightful -- news, links, commentary, etc. when it seems worth saying. And you can always find links to other great Packers-related sites, headlines, and even our very own PackerFansUnited.com shop where you can, well, shop. So please do!

Happy Anniversary PackerFansUnited.com! (Somebody had to say it.)

Training camp bits & pieces
Most of this probably doesn't come as any shock to those who follow the Packers closely, but for the casual observer let's just say that there is a bit of concern about the number of walking wounded in camp these days. Early in the week, the Pack had 12 guys on the sidelines with various injuries. That includes the promising but oft-injured TE Tory Humphrey who broke his arm in practice last week; the Packers have placed him on injured reserve which -- along with the surgery required -- likely ends his season before it starts. Humphrey missed part of 2006 with a hamstring injury and all of 2007 with a broken leg. He caught 11 passes in the 2008 season -- the best in his career. Now, done again.

Another promising but oft-injured player is DeShawn Wynn. As reported here and elsewhere, the feeling among several camp observers was that Wynn was finally starting to flash the potential the Pack thought they had when they drafted him a few years back. But there were always raps on his work ethic and willingness to play through injuries. He was out with a bruised knee for a few days but apparently returned to practice today. There is some speculation that he may have passed Brandon Jackson as the primary back up to Ryan Grant. Some guys are injury prone, while others may think they are. If Wynn is able to shake the latter tag -- for himself as much as anyone else -- he could have a dynamite year. Keep your fingers crossed.

And it should come as no surprise -- as much as one really wants to root for the young man -- that Justin Harrell is once again nursing a sore back. On Tuesday, Coach McCarthy, according to news reports, indicated that Harrell would be out indefinitely. But as Green Bay Press-Gazette sportswriter Mike Vandermause said in his column yesterday, no matter what happens this season, the Packers might as well give him one more season to run out his contract on the outside chance they could perhaps get something for him along the way. Check out his column here. It's not Harrell's fault he can't stay healthy. It was and is Ted Thompson's fault for reaching for a player with a history of injury in college and drafting him #16 in the first round. This one will likely go down right alongside former GM/coach Mike Sherman's pick in 2001 of Jamal Reynolds as one of the biggest first round failures in Packers' history...let's not even mention Tony Mandarich...oops, dang!

Raji has left the building
Actually, the Packers' first round pick, B. J. Raji, has done more than that. Raji has reportedly left Green Bay, with all signs pointing to a lengthy hold out. He's not the only first-rounder yet to be signed. But given that a few are right around his #9 slot it seems as if both he and the Packers are willing to take their chances and wait for the salary bar to be set elsewhere rather than in Green Bay. It's not as critical for defensive players to be in on time as it would be for an offensive player. But as every fan knows, the longer any rookie is out of camp the less likely it is that they will perform as expected their first year. The one thing that you don't want to see happen is an entirely wasted season. I don't believe the Packers will allow that to happen. It's still a waiting game. But at some point, someone needs to blink. Let's hope they get this done soon. There are a number of injuries along the defensive line at the moment and the Packers could use Raji not only to get some reps but to get into game shape and condition before the season officially kicks off with that Sunday night game versus Da Bearz.